The Phantom's Shadow
by Madeleine Jete
Summary: In the earlier days of his youth, Erik meets someone...
1. Part 1

A/N: A story I started awhile ago. I know how I want it to finish. The characters in here that are obviously original are unrelated to characters in any of my other stories [assuming I write more] In fact at this moment I believe the only character I can lay any claim to is the main character. Updates will be sporadic.

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The Phantom's Shadow

It was dark that night. And in the distance, the light of a gypsy camp could be seen. There was a girl there, off in the shadows, waiting for the moment to steal food. This girl had no memory of her parents. The only life she knew was that of the gypsies. She had lived with them until the fair at Verdu. After that fair, she left, stealing what she needed to get by. She never knew her name, as far as she was concerned, she didn't have one. 

If anyone saw her during the day, they would have seen a young girl dressed all in black. Tanned skin and a mass of tangled, long, brown hair. Though she was eight, many would mistake her for only being five. If anyone saw her at night, they would believe that they had seen a shadow move. 

She stood behind the supply tent. As the gypsies drifted further away from the tent and closer to the fire burning off in the distance, she sneaked into the tent. Inside it was dark, but she had the eyes of a cat. After eating half a loaf of bread and making it look as if an animal had gotten inside and eaten it, she slipped back out of the tent. 

Out side it had gotten darker. The girl headed towards the forest behind the encampment. Suddenly she heard dogs bark, and then the muffled voices of gypsies. At first she was going to continue to make her escape when sudden silence fell on the gypsies. Her one weakness being curiosity, she decided to stay and see what had caused the sudden silence. 

She silently crept closer, smearing dirt on her face, in hopes that if they saw her, the superstitious gypsies would mistake her for a spirit. She got as close as she dared, but she could to clearly see what it was that caused the gypsies to suddenly fall silent. She saw a flash of a knife in the firelight and knew that whatever it was didn't have much time to live. She felt sorry for the thing, even though she didn't know who or what it was. 

She was just about to turn away and head back to the forest, when the rouge Javert appeared. She knew what he looked like from past association with him. She wondered if he still had that stomach that hung horridly over his belt. She remembered the eyes, that seemed narrow and infinitely cruel, sunken into a fat face that glistened with sweat whenever he got excited. She was surprised he was still with the gypsies, but judging how the gypsies behaved, he must help bring a lot of money. 

She was not close enough to hear clearly, but from what was going on, the thing was to be locked in a cage. The poor thing turned out to be a young boy, maybe a year older that her. She wondered what Javert would do with a boy. Still being incredibly curious, she decided to stick around and see what would happen to the boy. 

***

The next morning she heard some gypsy children shouting. She crept closer to the cage and saw that they were poking through the cage with sticks. Then they ran off and Javert came. He started talking, muttering something about a corpse. If the girl had been a gypsy, she might have thought that Javert had captured a spirit, one of the living dead. Since she was not a gypsy, she thought that something must be wrong with the boy, that Javert would call him a corpse. 

Javert soon left, and the girl attempted to venture closer. When she was as close as she dare go, not wanting to be caught she had to stay near the shadows. She watched as the boy attacked the lock in a frenzy, the first reaction one has when they're locked in a cage. Though she could not see his face, she noticed that the boy's finger's were long, thin, almost like they were nothing but bone. 

After awhile the boy started to calm down. He sat down and started to observe his surroundings. As he turned towards her, she prepared to see something similar to the dead animals she had seen lying in a forest. When his face came into to view, she realized why he was called a corpse. His skin was so thin that you could see the skull outlined. Blue pulsing veins running under the skin were clearly visible. He had grossly malformed lips, and mismatched sunken eyes. Though not like the corpses she had seen, but very similar. As she looked on calmly, she did not realize that the boy was staring back at her until he gave a small wave with his hand and move his mouth, as if he were trying to ask her a question. 

She didn't understand what he was trying to say. She would have tried to sneak closer, but it was almost noon, and she was lucky she hadn't been seen yet. To avoid being caught she hid in an unused tent. While there she took a nap. When she awoke it was getting late. Carefully she crept out of the tent and sneaked towards the cage. 

Javert soon came and gave the boy some food and a patched blanket. The boy just asked if he could go home. Of course Javert wouldn't let him. The boy wouldn't eat either, and being overcome by curiosity, neither did the girl. She was never able to get close enough, but sometimes he would move his lips as though he were trying to talk to her. 

After a couple days, Javert was tired of the boy whining to go home. He smacked the boy, and off in the shadows the girl started shivering. It was a warm night, but memories that the slap brought back sent shivers down her spine. The boy seemed to look at her questionably, but she just shook her head. Something inside her told her she should leave, but she found herself unable to turn away without knowing what the boy was trying to tell her. All Javert did was shove the rough, grainy bread down the boy's throat. The boy only vomited, and to the surprise of the girl, Javert actually seemed amused. With anyone else Javert would surely have gotten angry and just stuff more bread down the boy's throat, but not this time. No, this time Javert sat and waited patiently for the boy to eat. As they sat facing each other, the girl edged closer, being careful not to be seen, but hoping to get where she could hear what they were saying. 

It was dark by the time the boy took the bread from Javert's hand and started to munch on it. Javert, satisfied that the boy was going to eat, got up, wiped his hands, and left. The girl realizing how hungry she was, sneaked quietly away, took some food, and decided to take a short nap. 


	2. Part 2

The first fair proved disastrous. The boy cowered in a corner, with his arms wrapped around his head. The girl, who had managed to sneak into the midst of the crowd, heard the angry shouts of the people who insisted that they had been cheated. As the crowd grew closer to becoming a riot, Javert sent 2 men to bind the boy. He kicked, bit and screamed like mad, to avoid being tied up, but the men were grown while he was just a boy, and within in a few minutes the boy was tied and secured at a full stretch. It was impossible to turn his face from view, and to keep him from hanging his head, Javert himself tied a rope around his neck to lift the boy's head from his chest. 

As the skull jerked back against the iron bars, the crowd stepped back with delighted horror. The boy started screaming, a horrible anguishing scream, that caused many children and woman to scream and run. He began to twist and pull, as if he were trying to free, and conceal himself. He only succeeded in cutting himself. People were starting to get angry again, and some were starting to demand their money back. The boy's cage was quickly pulled away, and Javert was left to deal with the crowd. 

The crowd was angry, and Javert had to do many refunds that day. The girl managed to escape the riot of the crowd and slip away to take behind a brightly colored tent, knowing she had to be watchful because the gypsies would soon leave. 

***

The next day the gypsies did continue on, but they were not moving at a fast pace, and the girl had no trouble keeping up w ith them. She managed to sneak into the fair again, and saw that this time the boy had been gagged. 

And so she continued like that, traveling across France, hidden from the gypsies, hoping to find out the boy's name. Stealing what she needed for survival from the gypsies and the towns. A disaster almost occurred at one town, Brignolles. 

They had been traveling for a while now, and the girl was in much need of sleep and food. Since the gypsies were becoming a bit suspicious, and guarding their food more closely, she had to go into town and hope to get something there. She did come across a bakery, where some fresh baked bread, extra bread that did not sell during the day, was sitting on a shelf, near the window. This was not the rough, dry bread that the gypsies ate; it was the soft white bread that she very rarely got a hold of. Though she was very tired, she managed to open the window without much noise. Sneaking in carefully, though making more noise than usual, she reached the shelves where the bread was. Though normally eating the bread and making it look as if mice had gotten to it, she just took a loaf and crept back out. Because she was so tired, she accidentally broke the window creeping out. When she heard the glass shatter, she ran back to the gypsy camp, and hid behind a tent. She finished her bread, and found and already collapsed tent on top of a wagon and crawled under that to sleep. 

The next day, the gypsies were in a hurry to leave, from where she was hiding the girl could hear people blaming the gypsies for breaking into a bakery and stealing bread. Minutes later she was still huddled under the tent, bouncing along to the next destination. 


	3. Part 3

A/N: Wow! Reviews! Not something I was expecting, but thank you! A nice pleasant surprise before going back to work. As a treat I'll try to put up the next two parts tonight, and part 5 Sat/Sun. After that updates will be slower as I'll actually have to write new material. Oh and chicketieboo, you should find out who the little girl is in Part 5. ^_^

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It was in the valley of Queyras where she first heard his voice. She had been out searching for some food, when she returned she noticed that the boy wasn't in the cage. A bit fearful for what might be happening, she went in search for him. She found him, along with Javert, behind the camp, in a field filled with wild flowers of all sorts. When she had managed to sneak close enough to hear, and not be seen, the boy was demanding clean clothes. The girl was hiding behind a medium sized oak tree. Javert just laughed and sneered at the boy, but the boy turned to Javert with a look of determination and desperation in his eyes. The boy said something to Javert, but the girl was unable to hear. Then Javert drew the boy closer, but seemed more amused than anything. He was talking to the boy, asking how the boy could possibly draw a larger crowd. She did not hear what the boy said in response, but whatever it was made Javert laugh. 

Then the wild daffodils started to sing. The clear voice that seemed to take control of her senses caught her off guard, she barely noticed that Javert had picked the flower, threw it to the ground and was walking towards her. Noticing him, she quickly attempted to climb the tree. Luckily for her, Javert turned away and she was able to scramble up the tree unseen. Javert returned to the boy and realized that it was the boy that was singing. When Javert started to get excited, the boy stopped singing. It took awhile for Javert to realize it, but when he did and the boy told him why, Javert got mad. The boy, however, knew Javert wouldn't harm him, he just smiled as Javert picked him up and threatened to slit his throat. 

The boy sat down in the grass, glanced up at her, then looked back down at the grass with complete indifference. After he watched Javert get a bit nervous, he started talking about what he wanted. He refused to sing without a mask, and he wanted his own tent. Javert wasn't sure he could trust the boy to stay, but the boy convinced him because he had no place to go. Javert almost agreed to that, but then pointed out what was the point of a coffin and lilies if the boy wore a mask the whole time. The boy thought about that and finally agreed to remove the mask at the end of the performance. Javert conceded and for that moment the girl could see that the boy had won a victory. 


	4. Part 4

As promised, two parts in one day

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The boy had gained some freedom. He stayed with Javert, for Javert provided what was essential for him to survive. 

They were always moving, and the girl would do her best to keep up on foot. Staying in the forests when they were there and following a safe distance behind when there was nothing but grass. 

She noticed that the boy was soon taught the practice of chiving drav. She watched the boy go off at night to a farm to feed an unfortunate animal some drao, a poison that would not contaminate the blood. She would then stay and watch; knowing she was safe for most gypsies would not go out at night for fear of meeting a spirit of the dead. When the farmer would wonder what had happened that killed his animal, the gypsies would come to the farmer's door and ask for food. The farmer, obviously relieved to have someone take an animal that died mysteriously off his hands before anything could happen to his other animals. She noticed also that the boy would refuse to eat any of the meat that the gypsies got from his little ventures. 

One night, in the mountains of Devonly, there was no moon, or stars. This did not bother the girl, or the boy for she heard that the gypsies wanted the boy to go to a farm that was a little ways ahead. The girl knew where this farm was for she had just visited it herself a few hours ago for food. Deciding to get a little ahead of him, the girl crept quietly and quickly to the farm and climbed up a nearby tree. From this tree she could see the whole farm and could watch everything. 

She could tell from the stillness of the night air, and the quiet of the animals, that it was near midnight, the time when the boy would normally be entering a farm. Wondering where he was, thinking he might've gone to a different farm instead, the girl slid down the tree. She landed on the ground with a soft thud. Suddenly, before she could turn around, she felt a hand on her shoulder and heard an angry voice asking, "Who are you? What are you doing here?" 


	5. Part 5

A/N: Okay, last update in awhile, as I actually have to write new material now. Since I do know what I want this to do, it hopefully won't go as slow as my other story, but that depends on work and course load.

And thank you so much to my reviewers! It's great to have encouragement to continue a story.

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Spinning around in the darkness, the girl tried to turn and face the person who was talking to her, but the firm grip on her shoulders would not let her turn. Unable to speak from shock, the girl just shook her head slowly. The voice behind her shook her and asked the question again. The girl, still afraid, stammered for a few seconds. Then the person relaxed its grip and apologized. "I didn't mean..." the voice started to say before trailing off. The girl was somewhat surprised and shocked. She stopped stammering, and leaned against the tree, trying to regain her composure. After awhile, she got over the shock and surprise and turned towards the direction she believed the person was standing and asked it, "Who are you?" 

It answered, in a soft, gentle, musical voice, "I asked first. Now, since you have calmed down, would you like to tell me why you're here? Or maybe your name?" 

At that the girl sighed, and glanced in a different direction, being pitch black it didn't matter where she looked, but she was uncomfortable and softly mumbled a reply, "I..I..I don't know." 

"How can you not know your name? I know my name is Erik. I think you know what I look like, you have been following me for quite some time now." 

"Erik," the girl said carefully, as if trying out the word for the first time, " Erik. That's a nice name. As for me I don't think I ever had a name. I've never been called by one for as long as I remember." The girl paused, then continued on, "So your name is Erik, I guess I never really wondered. What was it you were asking that first day that I saw you?" 

"I was trying to ask what your name was. I would like to have a name to call you by, especially if you're going to be around for a while, but the only name I can remember is my mother's." 

"It would be nice to have a name, I suppose. What was her name? Maybe I could use hers." 

"Her name was Madeleine." Here Erik paused, as if thinking about a name for the girl. 

"That's a very pretty name," interrupted the girl. Erik turned to look at her, muttering something about how it wouldn't hurt. 

"It would be a name I would remember, and if you like it then I suppose we could use it." Erik paused, and when the girl made no objections he continued, "Then it's settled, from now on your name will be Madeleine. I'd like to talk a bit longer, but I have to go visit that farm, but I'm sure you knew that already." With that Erik walked away, leaving the girl, Madeleine, standing by the tree. 

When the sun started to rise, Madeleine realized she had been standing there all night. Carefully climbing the tree, she thought about what had happened the night before. She had been sitting still in the tree for so long that a squirrel mistook her for part of it. It scampered over her snapping her out of the daze she was in. She sat up quickly, nearly falling out of the tree. She was just in time to see the gypsy caravan starting back on its journey. Ignoring the chittering of the squirrel, the girl quickly slid down the tree and ran across a field of wildflowers. 

She soon caught up with the gypsy caravan, making sure to keep out of sight by staying well behind the last person. That night, when they stopped to camp in a forest, the girl found a big oak tree to take shelter in. She noticed something that had bothered her for some time now, Erik always refused to touch the meat that he had helped acquire, and the girl couldn't help but to wonder why.

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And I think that my chapter endings won't seem so awkward after this....maybe. [And now we have an idea of who the girl is]


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